3 days in Bruges

Day by day

1. Day 1: Markt and Belfry of Bruges

   Markt, Belfry of Bruges and Burg and City Hall, then Rozenhoedkaai in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Markt

      The main square is framed by colourful step-gabled guild houses, the neo-Gothic Provincial Court and the Belfry, with a statue of the medieval rebel leaders Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck in the middle.

   2. Late morning

      Belfry of Bruges

      Go at the very start or end of the day; on the way up, time your stop by the bells for when the carillon plays.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Moules-frites

      Brasseries around the Markt and the Burg; restaurants a street or two away usually offer better value.

   4. Afternoon

      Burg and City Hall

      The Burg square holds Bruges's Gothic City Hall, built from 1376 and one of the oldest in the Low Countries.

   5. Evening

      Rozenhoedkaai

      Come at dusk, when the lamps come on and the Belfry is floodlit.

2. Day 2: Groeningemuseum and Canal boat tour

   Groeningemuseum, Canal boat tour and Bonifacius Bridge and Arentshof, then Beer cafés near the Markt in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Groeningemuseum

      Spend most of your time in the first rooms with the 15th-century paintings, which are the heart of the collection.

   2. Late morning

      Canal boat tour

      Open boats leave from jetties near the Rozenhoedkaai and the Dijver for a roughly 30-minute loop through the canals, passing under low bridges and beside the backs of medieval houses that you cannot see from the street.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Frites

      The two frites stalls at the foot of the Belfry on the Markt, and neighbourhood frituurs away from the centre.

   4. Afternoon

      Bonifacius Bridge and Arentshof

      Combine it with the Groeningemuseum, a minute's walk away, and visit early before the crowds.

   5. Evening

      Beer cafés near the Markt

      Historic bars such as De Garre, hidden down a narrow alley, and 't Brugs Beertje pour long lists of Belgian beers.

3. Day 3: Church of Our Lady and Old St. John's Hospital

   Church of Our Lady, Old St. John's Hospital and Begijnhof and Minnewater, then Eiermarkt in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Church of Our Lady

      The church's brick tower, about 115 metres tall, dominates the skyline.

   2. Late morning

      Old St. John's Hospital

      Look closely at the St Ursula Shrine; its tiny painted panels tell the saint's journey to Rome and Cologne.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Flemish stew

      Traditional Flemish restaurants and brasseries across the old town.

   4. Afternoon

      Begijnhof and Minnewater

      The Beguinage Ten Wijngaerde, founded in the 13th century for religious laywomen, is a walled garden of whitewashed houses around tall trees, now home to Benedictine nuns and part of the UNESCO-listed Flemish Béguinages.

   5. Evening

      Eiermarkt

      A small square just behind the Markt with bars that stay busy later on weekends.

Before you go

• Belfry of Bruges: Only a limited number of people are allowed in the tower at once; book a time slot online to avoid a long wait.

If it rains

• Swap in Basilica of the Holy Blood (Markt and Burg): Visit the lower Romanesque chapel too; it is one of the oldest interiors in the city and often overlooked.
• Swap in Choco-Story (Markt and Burg): Time your visit around the chocolate-making demonstration, which runs several times a day.
• Swap in Frietmuseum (Markt and Burg): Visit just before lunch and eat the frites in the vaulted cellar afterwards.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Markt and Burg keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Sint-Anna ($$) suits quiet stays, budget and couples. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 7–8 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 7.9 hours in December to 16.6 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

More or fewer days

• One day in Bruges
• 2 days in Bruges

Questions travellers ask